Winning Halloween Flicks
We’ve been showcasing winners from Best Of 2024 in our annual Winners Circle section this month. With Halloween around the corner, here are some spooky viewing choices for your consideration. Winning!
Hocus Pocus at TX Whiskey
Kick off your Halloween weekend with a movie night at TX Whiskey Ranch (2601 Whiskey Ranch Rd, Fort Worth, 817-8409140), home of the 2024 critic’s choice for best distillery. On Fri, Oct 25, from 6pm to 9pm, Hocus Pocus, the 1993 comedy starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as a coven of evil (and silly) witches, will screen rain or shine. Bring your own blankets and chairs in case it’s outside. There will be a food truck onsite and a palm/tarot card reader available for complimentary sessions. Tickets are $10 at TXWhiskey.com and include your first cocktail. 21+ only. Doors open at 6pm, and the movie starts at 7pm sharp.
Smile 2 Fan Event at AMC Clearfork
Our readers’ pick for best place to watch a movie in Best Of 2024 is hosting a special fan event. At 5pm Thu, be one of the first to see Smile 2 at an advance screening at AMC Dine-In Clearfork (5015 Trailhead Bend Way, Fort Worth, 817-769-6762). Tickets are $16.99 at AMCTheatres.com. If you liked the first Smile film that came out in 2022 — or you’re just a hardcore horror fan who sees everything — I’m sure you’ll love this one, too. Our film critic did not. He thought that Parker Finn’s fright had the “germ of an interesting idea” that got fouled up in the execution, including three different
contradictory endings. Let us know if the franchise did better this time.
My Favorite Films at the Modern
Not only is the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (3200 Darnell St, 817-738-9215) an annual winner of various Best Of awards, but they also have some winning movie choices for October. As part of their My Favorite Films series, several Halloween favorites are screening at 2pm Wednesdays in the auditorium. Clue (1985) is on Wed, Oct 23, and Parasite (2019) on Wed, Oct 30. There’s also Dracula (1931) at 7:30pm Thu, Oct 31. Tickets are $5 or free for Modern members at the front desk or via TheModern.org.
Your Haunted Holiday on YouTube
If you enjoy traveling and checking out para normal experiences, Your Haunted Holiday (@YourHauntedHoliday5985) is worth a lis ten. Hosted by twin sisters Lisa and Lindsay Estes, this podcast specializes in travel re views with a paranormal spin. New episodes come out every Sunday wherever you stream podcasts and on YourHauntedHoliday. com. Miss Molly’s Hotel (109 W Exchange Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-626-1522), this year’s critic’s choice for best haunted attraction, is featured in Episode 33.
By Jennifer Bovee
1985’s Clue screens at the Modern as part of their My Favorite Films series on Wed, Oct 23.
The campy Hocus Pocus will screen under the stars (weather permitting) at TX Whiskey on Fri, Oct 25.
Courtesy Disney/Kobal
ATE DAY8 of Winning Grub
Like last week’s Big Ticket, when we showcased some readers’ choice winners from the Arts & Culture section of Best Of 2024, here are some succulent choices from Good Grub. Welcome to the Best Of ATE DAY8!
This year, the readers who voted were all about Cafecito (1229 8th Av, Fort Worth, 682-376-9749). Along with winning best Mexican food, they were also our readers’ favorite for Breakfast and Burrito. This joint is the one with the beet-infused pink tortillas. As one of our food writers mentioned last year, most of the tacos stay within the parameters of breakfast, coming with eggs, chorizo, or both, plus several optional ingredients, including Mexican potatoes, frijoles, chopped barbacoa or brisket, or ham with the pink corn or flour tortillas of your choice. Read more about this winner in “Think: Pink” at FWWeekly.com.
This is Cowtown. We do steak, and we do it well. This category is simply called “Steak” and not “Steak House” because of gems like Ashim’s Hibachi Grill (424 Taylor St, Fort Worth, 817-290-3091). Along with winning best steak from readers, Ashim’s was also catapulted to the top by our readers for Latenight Food, Margarita, and Sushi. Sounds like y’all just picked my next post-concert #DateNight.
If you’re looking for a State Fair-style fried on-a-stick sort of hot dog experience, try the Korean craze that is K-Town Hot Dogs (4940 Overton Ridge Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-386-5371), our critic’s choice for Hot Dog. Go with our readers’ pick for a chef’d up version of a traditional dog. You can find
the Big Dawgs Hot Dog Co. mobile kitchen in the parking lot of the Rusty Nickel (2836 Stanley Av, Fort Worth, 817-528-1682, @ Big_Dawgs_Hot_Dogs) on the weekends.
Expect excellent customer service when you head to brunch at Brewed (801 W Magnolia Av, Fort Worth, 817-803-4753), as our readers awarded them for both this year (Brunch and Customer Service, that is). With 33 options on the daily brunch menu alone, you might need some of that friendly help in making decisions. As for me, I love shrimp and grits, so my decision is already made. When I visit, I’ll order the Low Country Shrimp + Grits ($18) with Gulf shrimp, Serrano cheese grits, Tasso ham, red bell pepper, red onion, and a Cajun butter cream sauce.
If you were dismayed to hear that the Chuy’s chain was scooped up by the holding company of Olive Garden, the place where Italian hopes and dreams go to die, you’ll be glad to
We opened up a Wildcard category on the Best Of ballot for readers to clue us in on some categories we may have missed. You did not disappoint!
who brings them to the bar at closing time, it’s all good. While our critic’s choice, Hot Damn Tamales!, no longer has a storefront, only an online option at HotDamnTamales. com (we apologize for any confusion), our readers’ choice for best tamales is ideal for a sit-down experience. Tommy Tamale Market & Cafe (750 W Bonds Ranch Rd, Ste 700, Fort Worth, 817-318-7040) does these Mexican bad boys traditionally, creatively, and well. For more info, visit TommyTamale.com.
know that Chuy’s West 7th location (2401 W 7th St, Ste 110, Fort Worth, 817-332-2489) is independently owned and, according to our loyal readers, has the best salsa in town.
#KeepItLocal
While I do love the Fudgy Cookies and M&M Bars at Swiss Pastry Shop (936 W Vickery Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-732-5661), our critic’s choice for best bakery, the readers aren’t wrong about Eduardo’s Pastry Kitchen (5950 River Oaks Blvd, Fort Worth, 214-531-4830). On a recent visit, I picked up a dozen chocolate chip pecan cookies and ate them daily for breakfast until they were all gone, leaving none for the husband. What?
Tamales! Who doesn’t love them? From fancy ones at Central Market to the local cook
As you probably already know, our annual Best Of awards are curated and written by fallible human beings, so we sometimes miss something or get something wrong. We included a Wildcard entry field for you readers to add to the fun. You did not disappoint. Wildcard winners include 360 Catering & Events (7455 S Hulen St, Ste 120, Fort Worth, 817-714-8996) for best catering; Sweetie’s Cheesecakes (13033 Harmon Rd, Ste 203, Fort Worth, 817-7858585) for best, well, cheesecakes; Pantry on Magnolia (713 W Magnolia Av, Fort Worth, 682-224-2381) for best dumplings; and Sam-Won Garden (5201 McCart Av, Fort Worth, 817-926-1515) for best Korean food. As for “whatever makes sense” under Donuts, that’s a joke, folks. If you get it, you get it. (Please vote.) l
By Elaine Wilder
The pink beet-infused tortillas at Cafecito are adorable and tasty.
Big Dawgs is serving up stuffed-pork glizzies like this Poppa Dawg with cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and jalapenos with a Texas Whiskey glaze and a drizzle of ranch dressing.
Courtesy Canva
Best Of Big Ticket
BY ELAINE WILDER
In our Best Of 2024 special edition that hit newsstands and the innerwebs last week, it wasn’t only the critics that had a say. You, esteemed readers, made some choices as well. While we know plenty about our critics’ faves, as each choice came with a paragraph or two about why they were so great, I thought you could use some info on a few readers’ choices, too, so every week in October, we will feature a few award winners, starting with several Arts & Culture categories today. Welcome to the Best Of Big Ticket!
Art Gallery Exhibit
While our critics selected exhibits at Bale Creek Allen Gallery, Fort Works Art, and J. Peeler Howell Fine Art, our readers chose Affirmations. Curated by Ariel Davis, the show at Gallery 440 (440 S Main St, Fort Worth, 817-335-0100) featured work by members of the Fort Worth Art Collective, a
group of established artists working in multiple disciplines and media who exhibit in various places. Visit FWArtCollective.com.
Arts & Crafts Event
The ever-popular Arts Goggle on the Near Southside won our critics’ hearts this year, but our readers went with the Queer Craft Night at The Welman Project (3950 W Vickery Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-924-4000), a sober-/safe-space event for LGBTQIA+
adults and their friends to hang out, make a mess, and build community while experimenting with creative reuse crafts. Plus, 100% of your ticket cost helps provide free supplies and support to thousands of teachers. Each session offers a guided craft you can join, or you can bring your work in progress. All skill levels are welcome. You must be 18+ to attend. The next Queer Craft Night is 6pm-8pm Sat, Nov 16. Tickets are $10 at My.TheWelmanProject.org/ Queer-Craft-Night.
Dance Troupe
The critics and I cannot wait for this winter’s production of The Nutcracker by Texas Ballet Theater, but the readers’ choice went to Ballet Folklorico de Fort Worth (4200 S Fwy, Ste 1830, Fort Worth, 817454-2778). My dance card isn’t quite full for this weekend, so I may check out this troupe’s Mexican folk dancing at the Fort Worth Dance Festival Fri-Sun. For performance times, locations, and $20 tickets, visit TerrellDance.com/FWDF.
Day Trip
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center has won both the readers’ and critic’s choices over the years, and I tend to agree. Petting a giraffe through my car window? That’s the stuff of bucket lists! But me, I’ll go anywhere. Our readers picked Hico, Texas, this year. Hico Hall has bands every weekend, and the commerce team has an Oktoberfest this month and a Billy the Kid Film Festival in November. For all the details, go to VisitHicoTexas.com.
Music Lessons
As our critic put it, “For aspiring musicians of all ages, you can’t beat Music Junkie Studios” in Fort Worth, but for those living in Arlington, check out the readers’ choice. Arlington School of Music (3100 W Arkansas Ln, Arlington, 817-459-1444) offers private instruction on guitar, piano, voice, violin, drums, mandolin, ukulele, and bass from working musicians who know the drill.
At The Welman Project, 100% of ticket sales for arts and crafts events helps provide free supplies and support to thousands of teachers.
Courtesy The Welman Project
Our readers’ choice for best dance troupe in Best Of 2024, Ballet Folklorico de Fort Worth performs this weekend at the Fort Worth Dance Festival.
Come break the rules and say “yes!” to new art experiences at the Carter’s Second Thursdays! Every Second Thursday is different than the last — mingle with fellow art lovers, make art, and meet visiting artists, sometimes with live music and always with themed cocktails. You’ll never think of museums in the same way again.
Bring your best friend (pup or person) for an evening of PAWsome activities on our Plaza crafted with your canine in mind.
